Written by Charmaine Laya
Published May 1, 2022
“Social media is now toxic.”
I have heard this phrase many times ever since the campaign period in the Philippines started. When I asked people why they think social media is now toxic, they said that all they see nowadays on their news feeds are politics-related posts. Fake news is also an issue. False information regarding political candidates pollutes social media. However, fake news doesn’t just start and end with politics-related information; fake news on social media can be about almost anything.
The prevalence of fake news on social media is serious and harmful to society, especially in the Philippines.
Today, we live in a seemingly blurred reality where the truth is elusive and fake news is easily believed by many, which is a stark contrast to the Filipino society back in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, where millions of people unified to overthrow a dictator. Today, almost like a slap to those who sacrificed and experienced hardships during the dictator’s rule, millions of Filipinos are supporting the son of the dictator: a current presidential candidate who claims that he wants to “unify” the masses. These people even go to the extent of fabricating lies to raise their chosen candidate and slam other candidates down.
According to a 2021 national survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), 69% of adult Filipinos said that “the problem of fake news in the media is serious.” Let me use this analogy: if someone were to spread false information about you, chances are you would be angry or upset. I know I would. It’s the same with fake news. Even though it doesn’t concern you, it concerns someone else who might be feeling the same way you do whenever lies are spread against you.
On a larger scale, fake news can seriously affect society and it already has. A study by scholars from the University of Oxford have found that President Rodrigo Duterte hired trolls to spread his propaganda during his election campaign in 2016, and continues to do so to “amplify messages in support of his policies now he’s in power.” These trolls defended him online and consistently produced content in favor of Duterte, whether true or not. This is why the prevalence of fake news is serious. But what’s stopping other politicians or people of authority from doing the things that Duterte does? Society is being manipulated for the benefit of those in power.
Fake news also affected several Filipinos last 2021 when the “no jab, no work” false policy spread throughout the country. As reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, many workers were under the impression that they would be forced to stay at home and be prohibited to go to work if they did not get their vaccine shots. This caused panic among Filipino laborers who were unvaccinated back then and resulted in overcrowding in various vaccination sites. The prevalence of fake news can influence the decisions of people and can harm them. In an online article from the University of the Philippines (UP), Journalism Associate Professor Danilo Arao said that if people start believing in fake news more than news from authorized sources, then the decisions they make will be inaccurate.
Some people might say, “Fake news does not harm anyone.” However, can you still say that if a close relative or friend of yours got hurt because of it? Imagine seeing a post claiming that COVID-19 is not real and you believed it. You decided to go outside whenever you felt like it, without any regards to social distancing or protective equipment. Then, after a couple of weeks, you felt unwell. You got tested and received a positive result for COVID-19. Frankly, I personally think that the fake news about COVID-19 being a myth was tempting to fall for. A part of me wanted to believe that COVID-19 wasn’t real because the information was imposed on me, but I knew it was. Imagine if thousands of Filipinos felt the same way I did, but did not have the resources to verify the truth? Many would be believing in a lie that could potentially harm them.
The prevalence of fake news in the Philippines is real, and it is alarming. Who knows who might get hurt? So, be careful of the things you read and share, because it not only affects you, but also, everyone around you.
In today's climate with the advancement of technology anything can be published online without verification whether its true or not. VERIFY before you share! Make sure it is a reliable source before spreading!